After Acceptance

Jeff Harmon on a weekend excursion to Iguaçu Falls, Brazil, during his SEP to Brazil

Following your acceptance by the host institution, you will have a meeting with the SEP coordinator where you officially accept or decline the placement by signing the Placement Acceptance Form (PAF). The form identifies the host campus, exchange duration, and financial obligations. The form also provides an opportunity for you to review the conditions for exchange before making the final commitment to participate. Failure to sign and return the PAF by the stated deadline will result in cancellation of your placement. You will need to complete and accept all forms in the online Kennedy Center application. You will also want to read the information below to get an idea of what will be required of you after you are accepted into an SEP program.

After acceptance

Kennedy Center Orientation

After acceptance into the program, you will be expected to attend a safety and risk management orientation offered through the Kennedy Center. This may be done through a four-day seminar or through a class during the semester before your departure. This orientation will cover visas, immunizations, safety issues, etc. Please contact Malcolm Botto in the Kennedy Center for further information.

Immunization

Most SEP partner institutions will require proof of immunization for measles, rubella, and/or meningitis. For some campuses, you will not be permitted to register for classes and/or move into the residence halls without providing immunization documentation. It is your responsibility to ensure that this, and any other requested medical information, are submitted to your host campus in a timely manner.

Health insurance

It is your responsibility to ensure that you are adequately covered by health and other insurance for the period and place of your exchange, including travel between BYU and host institutions. You are required to have insurance. Some host universities will require that you purchase their health insurance even if you are already covered by another policy. BYU requires any student leaving campus to purchase HTH Worldwide International Health Insurance. The cost of the insurance is included in your program acceptance fee.

Booking a Flight

It is strongly recommended that you book your flights through BYU travel in the Kennedy Center. If you use BYU travel services they will be able to assist you if any problems occur with your tickets or if you miss a flight. You can still choose your airline and apply any reward points you may be acquiring. You may also book your flight independent of BYU travel.

Maintaining Eligibility

Your placement is conditional upon your maintaining, at the end of the term preceding your exchange, all eligibility requirements (academic, social, and behavioral) defined in Eligibility as well as any additional requirements that may have been imposed by your host institution. Should you fail to meet any of these requirements, you are no longer eligible to participate in the SEP program and your exchange will be canceled. Use caution in purchasing airline tickets or making other financial commitments until your eligibility has been determined.

Enrollment Materials

Your acceptance as an exchange student by the host campus does not mean that you have been officially admitted to that campus. Most SEP partner institutions will require additional supporting documents to process you through the university and make you eligible for registration. After receipt of your Placement Acceptance Form, the SEP coordinator will forward application, housing, registration, and other pertinent materials to you. It is essential that you complete all forms, return them to the GMC, and meet all stated deadlines. Failure to do so could result in the cancellation of your exchange. It may also affect your ability to obtain on-campus housing, financial aid, or courses critical to maintaining academic progress. Note that procedures, forms, and timelines may be different from BYU. All questions should be directed to the SEP coordinator.

Course Approval

Before leaving your home campus, you must develop a written course-approval agreement with the assistance of the SEP coordinator. Select all the courses you would consider taking during your period of exchange. For flexibility, identify two or three times as many courses as you will actually take. The advising agreement should indicate where each course will fit into your BYU degree. The SEP coordinator will get approval from all appropriate campus administrators and have them sign the form agreeing that satisfactorily completed courses will fit into your degree program in the manner determined.

You, the Kennedy Center, and the SEP coordinator should retain a copy of the signed agreement. If you fail to complete a written advising agreement before the exchange, BYU may not accept the work completed at your host university. Any deviation from your advising agreement must be approved, in writing, by BYU. If you register for classes not approved in your written agreement there is no guarantee the credits will transfer.

Course Access and Registration

As mentioned earlier, some programs or courses may be closed, limited, or highly restricted to SEP students. Course enrollment in areas not closed or restricted is based on offerings and availability and cannot be guaranteed. You must meet all course pre-requisites or co-requisites as required by your host campus. A flexible academic plan and the timely completion of information as requested by your host coordinator is necessary.

After your courses have been approved, you will register for them through Route Y like a regular BYU class. A specific section of the course will be created just for you and your program. You will also need to register for classes at your host institution. This will be different for each campus but will be similar to registering for classes through Route Y.

Cancellation

Should unexpected circumstances cause you to cancel your exchange plans, you must immediately notify the SEP coordinator in writing. If cancellation occurs within forty-five days of expected departure, the program fee will not be refunded.